Alone • Liam Dunbar

Twenty-Four

Within seconds, Liam shifts and lunges at the two men, completely unaware of what he was facing. Up until this point, the biggest threat he had gone against was Garrett, who was no match for Calavera hunters.

"Liam, no!" I shout to hold him back, but it's too late of a warning.

He swings a clawed hand toward Miles. Before the impact can land, Miles thrusts the electrified cattle prod into Liam's chest. He falls to his knees, crying out in agony as the electrical current courses through him. It reverts him back to his fully human state, the lack of his shift making it even more painful.

I instantly draw my gun and aim it at Miles' head. The other man directs his revolver at me as a result, but I don't flinch at the unspoken threat. My eyes remain on Miles, narrowing on him. He turns off the prod but doesn't retract it. He lets it sit against Liam's neck, telling me he would happily crank it back on to full power at any moment. 

"Drop your gun," the bald man grunts. I don't bother to respond in any way. 

Liam whimpers at our feet and I resist the urge to check on him. My focus needed to be on the men in front of me. 

"You're not that dumb, Argent," Miles taunts, motioning to the revolver pointed at my skull. 

The use of that name fills me with bitter repulsion. I swallow it down because with Liam here as an obvious hostage, I had to gain whatever upper hand I could.

I force a cruel smirk. "I'd still get the shot off."

Araya sighs as she comes further into the room, closing the door behind her. She puts her hands into her pockets ever so casually, and she stands between her two men. With a wrinkled smile, she peers down at Liam. He pants heavily and tries to fight off what the high voltage had done to him, unaware of exactly who he was in the presence of. 

"Let him go," I demand, trying to hide my desperation. "I'll stay, but he goes." 

Araya chuckles and her eyes sparkle with delight. She studies me for a moment before reaching for Liam. He lets out a low growl at her touch, making Miles grab his neck and roughly force him toward her. Araya grabs the chain he wears and holds it up, showing off the bullet attached to it. 

"He stays," she tells me. 

I feel my stomach twist as I've allowed Liam to be exposed as my weakness. I should have never taken that necklace from Mexico. 

Araya ventures away from her men, going to sit on one of the chairs at my small dining table. She gestures for me to take the only other seat like a hospitable host, as if this were her place and not mine. She also motions for the bald man to lower his gun. He easily does as she commands, even going so far as to take a step away. He definitely has more self-control than Miles. 

"We can be civil," Araya states simply. 

I almost wanted to scoff at her idea of civility. Something told me she was only here now because she knew Scott and the others were on lockdown. They wouldn't be able to aid me, which meant she could say and do whatever she wanted without running the risk of my friends backing me up. That hardly felt like even ground. 

My gun remains poised in the air as I scowl at Miles. I fight with myself over what to do but settle for putting my weapon away. I couldn't waste any more time being here; time that could be spent saving my friends. I also didn't want to keep Liam in this situation much longer. I had a feeling that Miles would beat him bloody if it meant getting to me. 

"Don't even think about touching him again," I warn Miles. 

I cast one final glance at Liam before joining Araya. I look at her, but sit at an angle so my body is aimed at Liam and the two hunters that stand above him. If they tried anything again, I needed to be on them in an instant. Araya smirks, fully aware of what my body language exposed.